“The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest” Luke 10:2
We have over many years heard these words of Jesus about the need for more labourers for the harvest that God has for all humanity. We have also recognised that need for additional labourers. However, in our culture we have subtly felt that the harvest is not yet ready: people are not interested; we might offend them by talking about religious things; or there are three things you should never talk about in public – sex, politics and religion. Well the first two have been blown out of the water, but we still cling to the third.
When Jesus first raised the issue of the harvest with his disciples they thought that it was something that would happen in the future, when they were ready or when they had the right resources. However, Jesus tells them to lift up their heads and look for the harvest is here . He said,
“Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest” (John 4:35 ESV)
Now some people would say that it not as easy as it sounds. We have tried year after year and people either just turn off or ridicule us in the process. I remember one of our farmers in a country parish recounting his visit to a friend he had known for twenty years. This time he was visiting as a part of the Parish’s Thanksgiving Program. This friend just slammed the door in his face and left him devastated. It took him two years before he told anyone about the incident. Many of us can probably relate at some level about the crushing pain he experienced from that event. Yes, there are people outside the church who will turn off or ridicule us. Jesus, Paul, James and Peter tell us to rejoice at times like that. It is the only way to release ourselves from the feelings of such moments. By rejoicing we protect our hearts and guard against the eroding processes of cynicism and pessimism. We need to remind ourselves that God is able to break through the hardest of hearts.
The most amazing statement made by Nicky Cruz (a violent gang leader in the slums of New York ) in the movie the Cross and the Switchblade is how he couldn’t get away from the words of a skinny preacher who told him Jesus loved him – words that kept at him though he had no idea who Jesus was.
The harvest is on. People are ready to hear. Some are seeking to find real meaning in their lives and to know whether God is real or not. For too long they have heard the inadequate proclamation of materialism and a scientific closed system understanding of the world that only acknowledges God as the first cause of all that exists, if it acknowledges Him at all.
They have closed God out of any real interaction in this world. Well, the coming of the Son of God in the person of Jesus Christ (the Incarnation of the Son of God) makes a pretty strong breach of that closed system and shows that it is God’s intention to be intimately involved with the men, women and children He has created.
“People are curious beings. If we stir up their curiosity; they will ask us to tell them the gospel, giving us the opportunity to tell them of the good news…”God loves us to the extent of giving His Son to die on the cross for all of humanity. He also loves those outside the precincts of the church, even though they do not yet know it. God provides opportunities for us to share His love and word with others.
In the days when I worked with Teen Challenge in Kings Cross I was waiting for a bus. It was around midnight . Two young men stopped next to me and hailed a taxi. One of them turned to me and asked if I had any grass (marijuana). I told him that I had something better than grass. He responded with enthusiasm asking whether it was cocaine. I told him this was better than cocaine. You have heroin he questioned? I told him that what I had was much better than heroin and would give him a high that he would never forget. By this time he was hopping into the taxi and asked well what on earth do you have. I said, “Jesus Christ and he can change your life.” At that point the taxi departed.
People are curious beings. If we stir up their curiosity; they will ask us to tell them the gospel, giving us the opportunity to tell them of the good news of the kingdom of God realised in Jesus Christ.
